Gunslinger Girl: Review

Note: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from the publisher for review.

Is anyone else somewhat terrified, but mostly crazy excited, for the next season of Westworld? Me! I am! And Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay Ely was the perfect way to sate my Westworld needs. I honestly didn't think that I 'd like a Western, but the dystopian twist to this book brings a unique fusion of genres. I'd recommend this book to anyone who looks for a kickass protagonist, action-packed scenes, and a fast-paced storyline- read on to learn why!

Seventeen-year-old Serendipity "Pity" Jones inherited two things from her mother: a pair of six shooters and perfect aim. She's been offered a life of fame and fortune in Cessation, a glittering city where lawlessness is a way of life. But the price she pays for her freedom may be too great....

In this extraordinary debut from Lyndsay Ely, the West is once again wild after a Second Civil War fractures the U.S. into a broken, dangerous land. Pity's struggle against the dark and twisted underbelly of a corrupt city will haunt you long after the final bullet is shot.

First off, tremendous kudos to Ely because this is one heck of a debut novel! It hits the ground running and puts you right in the center of the world, introducing you to the dystopian environment that the nation has been reduced to. We read the story through Pity's point of view in first-person narration. While I had issue with her at times because of how "bland" she seemed to narrate scenes, I had to remind myself that this was a young woman whose only options in life, as one of the few who are still fertile, are to sell herself to prostitution, or let her father sell her as a wife. It stands to reason that she sees things bleakly and is very straightforward.

There is a cast of characters that surrounds Pity, but none are tremendously fleshed out and by consequence, none are very important. We get archetypes of the old west, but with a twist to them, as Ely has demonstrated that she likes to do- the female sharpshooting bounty hunter, a lasso-wielding bartender, the maternal courtesan. The only character that gets a real backstory is Pity's romantic interest. If you aren't a fan of insta-love, you may take be turned off by the romantic angle of the book. It's clear who her romantic interest is going to be, even if they aren't in a relationship right away, but I personally found the development rather sweet.

The action scenes are fast-paced, and I could almost see the sharpshooting sequences right in front of me. They're described to perfection, and were almost created for the big screen (hint, hint?!!?!?). The pacing of the story moved quickly as well, which made Gunslinger Girl a very quick read- just under 3 hours for me!